Abstract Submission Guidelines

ABSTRACT STATUS NOTIFICATIONS: All submitted abstracts/session proposals are currently under review. Please note that abstract status notifications will be sent early March 2014. If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Lewis at jenniferlewis@preventionresearch.org.

The abstract submission site opens Friday, September 13, 2013.

The SPR Call for Papers abstract submission deadline has been extended for FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES from Wednesday, October 30, 2013 to Wednesday, November 13, 2013.All NON-federal government employees are still expected to submit their abstracts by Wednesday, October 30, 2013.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW:

Make sure to keep/print out your email notifications. Each abstract that you submit has its own ID# and password which you’ll need to access the abstract.

Chairs/Organizers of organized paper symposium and organized poster forums must submit all abstracts within the session. The Confex system automatically links all abstracts within a session. Remember that all abstracts within a session must have the same theme.

Word/character limit: There is a 2800 character limit for each abstract which is approximately 400 words.

No tables or figures are permitted. References are not required.

Please do not include the names of chairs, authors and discussants in your abstracts. Abstracts are reviewed in a “blind”, peer-review.

The abstract submission website is open as of Friday, September 13, 2013.

The SPR Call for Papers abstract submission deadline has been extended for FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES from Wednesday, October 30, 2013 to Wednesday, November 13, 2013. All NON-federal government employees are still expected to submit their abstracts by Wednesday, October 30, 2013.

All SPR abstract submissions for the 2014Annual Meeting will be submitted via the Confex Abstract Management Site at http://spr.confex.com/spr/spr2014/cfp.cgi. The Confex site will be available for submissions beginning Friday, September 13, 2013. To facilitate reviews and scheduling, all abstracts must be submitted via the website by Wednesday, October 30, 2013, 11:59 pm Pacific.

The SPR Call for Papers abstract submission deadline has been extended for FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES from Wednesday, October 30, 2013 to Wednesday, November 13, 2013.All NON-federal government employees are still expected to submit their abstracts by Wednesday, October 30, 2013.

If you have ANY questions about the annual meeting or program content, please contact Jennifer Lewis, SPR Executive Director at jenniferlewis@preventionresearch.org or 703-934-4850, x213. For urgently needed technical support, phone +1 (401) 334-0220 between the hours of 8:30 AM and 6:00 PM Monday through Friday, US Eastern Standard Time (GMT -05:00).

Deadline for Submission and Other Important Dates

The online abstract submission site is open as of Friday, September 13, 2013.

The SPR Call for Papers abstract submission deadline has been extended for FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES from Wednesday, October 30, 2013 to Wednesday, November 13, 2013.All NON-federal government employees are still expected to submit their abstracts by Wednesday, October 30, 2013.

Presenting Author Acceptance notifications will be e-mailed in early-March 2014.
Presenting Author Schedule notifications will be e-mailed mid-April 2014.
The complete schedule will be available mid-April 2014.

Author Instructions

Each abstract submission may contain a maximum of 2800 characters (including spaces) which is approximately 400 words. Tables and Figures are not allowed. References are not required.

The Program Committee of the Society for Prevention Research (SPR) invites international and U.S. submissions for presentations within all content areas of public health, education, human services, criminal justice, medical and biobehavioral sciences, developmental science, and genetics as related to the prevention of physical, emotional, and behavioral problems, and the promotion of healthy living and well-being. SPR includes members and participants from varied disciplines and areas of research, implementation, and policy making. Type I and Type II translational research (i.e., translating basic science into prevention models; adapting interventions to the real world) is emphasized. Prevention and health promotion research includes a focus on resilience in the face of adversity, enhancement of health-related and positive behaviors, and the reduction of unhealthy and dysfunctional behaviors. Prevention topics across the age span are welcome. Specific disease and physical health topics that are encouraged for submission and that are addressed by prevention include but are not limited to: cancer, diabetes mellitus, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and unintended pregnancy. Behavioral and mental health issues include but are not limited to: family conflict, violence prevention, delinquency, crime, suicide, academic failure, school dropout, unemployment, worker productivity, occupation safety, unintended injury, poverty, and mental health problems and disorders, including depression, substance use, abuse, and addiction (e.g., alcohol, tobacco, prescription, over-the-counter medications, and street drugs). Biobehavioral and genetic topics include but are not limited to: examination of biological and neurobiological underpinnings related to variation in human behavior, gene-environment interplay on physical or mental health outcomes, and interventions that target biobehavioral or genetic risk mechanisms or show effects on such mechanisms. System and policy-related issues include but are not limited to: managed care, reduction of health disparities, policy-based interventions, international prevention strategies, welfare, maternal health, infant and child health, global warming impact on health, and measurement and coordination of social services.

Each year the SPR selects special themes designed to highlight specific areas of research relevant for prevention scientists. These special themes guide the development of plenary sessions, symposia, and preconference workshops. Our intent is to provide an opportunity for conference attendees to explore scientific developments that may influence research in the near future and to create a forum for interdisciplinary interactions.

This year’s conference theme, Comprehensive and Coordinated Prevention Systems: Building Partnerships and Transcending Boundaries, offers the opportunity to respond to recommendations put forth in the National Prevention Strategy as well as other large-scale national and international efforts to improve public health. Although the number of evidence-based policies, programs and practices intended to promote health and prevent disease has been steadily growing over the last few decades, achieving a significant impact on health and well-being across communities and nations requires more widespread dissemination of these strategies. Furthermore, comprehensive service provision is necessary, such that varied strategies will be implemented which target for change multiple risk and protective factors experienced by individuals across all levels of need (e.g., universal, selective, and indicated prevention services) and at all stages of development (i.e., the prenatal period through adulthood). The coordination of such interventions requires communication, collaboration, and resource-sharing among scientists, policy makers, and practitioners that transcends systems, disciplines, and ways of thinking about prevention within and across nations. Many such partnerships already exist, but building and sustaining even more extensive networks will help increase the dissemination of comprehensive prevention services that can address multiple, related outcomes of interest to diverse stakeholders.

The SPR Program Committee invites submissions for the conference that fit within this broad theme as well as the related special themes described below. We will also consider proposals that focus on the core areas of interest to SPR, the general themes including research related to epidemiology and etiology, development and testing of interventions, implementation and dissemination strategies, innovative methods and statistics, and systems science perspectives (see below). Submissions are encouraged from researchers and policy makers at all stages of their career and from varied backgrounds including public health, education, human services, criminal justice, medical and bio-behavioral sciences, developmental science, social science, and genetics.

Special Conference Themes

Each year SPR selects special themes designed to highlight specific areas of research relevant for prevention scientists. These special themes guide the development of plenary sessions, symposia, and preconference workshops. For 2014 the three special themes are Large-scale dissemination of prevention policies, programs, and practices, Prevention and promotion efforts focused on early childhood and HIV/AIDS prevention. For full descriptions please refer to the Call for Papers.

Further, SPR strongly encourages submissions by early career prevention scientists, including graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and researchers who have recently begun to work independently.

One of SPR’s missions is to facilitate the development of more junior prevention scientists. We encourage senior researchers to collaborate with early career researchers and submit linked abstracts for presentations on specific themes or individual projects. These need not be limited to organized paper symposia or organized poster forum presentations.

Given the limited time and rooms for oral presentations, we are especially interested in organized paper symposia and organized poster forums that include authors from a variety of research groups and from more than one project. The Program Committee also encourages organized paper symposia and organized poster forums consisting of several authors from single research studies, such as multi-site and/or longitudinal studies.

We encourage authors to consider submitting an individual poster presentation. We seek broad participation in the conference, and many individual poster presentations can be accommodated. We will again combine the two evening poster sessions with receptions to enhance camaraderie.

Please note that all submissions must be in English.

Abstract Types

Individual Paper Presentation
Abstracts of individual research papers may be submitted for a 15-20 minute oral presentation. A maximum of three individual papers will be grouped together based on a theme and similar content within a 90-minute concurrent session. A volunteer chair will facilitate an extended period of open discussion following the three oral paper presentations.

Individual Poster Presentation
Poster displays allow presenters to discuss their research with interested colleagues during a two-hour block of time. The poster sessions will be held in the early evening along with a reception, and will not compete with any other sessions. Please note there is a separate NIDA International Poster Session (select the category/theme “NIDA International Poster Session” when submitting to this session).

Organized Paper Symposium
An organized paper symposium provides for multiple oral research presentations to be made on a single theme involving a brief introduction by the chair, 3 (minimum/maximum) presenters, with one discussant (encouraged, though optional) and open discussion from the floor. Presenters have 15 minutes to present the core content and the discussant has 15 minutes to comment upon the presentations with 30 minutes reserved for interactive discussion, facilitated by the chair, between the presenters and the session audience. An abstract should be submitted that describes the overall symposium, and separate abstracts should be submitted for each proposed presentation (that is, 4 abstracts should be submitted for a symposium with 3 presenters). One person should submit all components of the organized paper symposium.

Organized Poster Forum
An organized poster forum provides for multiple, 4 minimum/8 maximum, poster research presentations to be made on a single theme. Posters will be displayed for a 45-minute period allowing time for presenters to individually discuss their research with the session audience as they move through the posters. 15 minutes is allocated for comments from a discussant (encouraged, though optional) and 30 to 45 minutes (if no discussant) of general discussion, moderated by the chair, between the presenters and the session audience. This year, using the Confex online abstract submission system, one person should submit all components of the organized poster forum.

Roundtable Discussion/Scientific Dialogue
A roundtable discussion/scientific dialogue (RD/SD) does not present research findings, but rather addresses an area or issue of fundamental importance to the field, in a format that encourages a lively exchange of different points of views. Examples include training and funding opportunities in prevention, priorities in prevention, and advocacy for the use of scientific approaches to prevention. The RD/SD chair and the required panel of five (5) discussants often include members/people outside the research community. The 90-minute RD/SD should include a brief introduction clearly outlining the issues presented by the chair followed by each of the discussants elaborating on their different viewpoints and perspectives on the issue. Then the chair facilitates extended open discussion with the session audience and the discussants. The RD/SD abstract submission should include only one abstract (unlike an organized symposium), which includes an outline of the issue and varying viewpoints that will be elaborated upon. Please note the panel must include 1 chair and 5 discussants. In the interest of providing an atmosphere of open discussion the meeting room will be set up so that seating is in the “round.” A flip chart will be provided should someone be interested in capturing the highlights of the discussion.

Technology Demonstration
Abstracts are encouraged that describe prevention-related technology and science-based prevention program materials. A technology demonstration session will be presented during the conference for “hands-on” presentations of technology, such as statistical analysis programs, data collection instruments and techniques, literature search techniques, or science-based prevention curricula. The technology demonstrations will be held in the same area as the evening poster sessions. A table chairs and a power outlet will be provided. Please note that Internet access will not be provided without a charge incurred by the presenting author.

Sample Abstracts

Please see the following links for examples of five (5) model abstracts. These examples are included to provide guidance to authors; however, there may be instances in which another format is preferable depending upon the nature of your research and your proposed presentation.

All persons associated with an abstract submission shall be included in the abstract author information. Please select author roles carefully. To maximize participation in oral presentations a limit on two Presenting Authors abstract submissions has been instituted. Oral presentations are limited to TWO per person, therefore when inviting your presenters for an organized symposium; confirm that they have not already committed to more than one other organized symposium presentation or individual oral presentation. Chairing a symposium or being a discussant does not count as an oral presentation.

Submitter – This individual is responsible for entering all abstract information and may or may not be an author or presenter.

Presenting Author – This individual is the presenter for oral (both individual papers or within an organized symposium) and poster presentations and technology demonstrations. This individual must attend the meeting. There is a minimum and maximum of one Presenting Author per submission. A presenting author is limited to TWO oral presentations in the meeting. The presenting author is ALWAYS LISTED FIRST IN THE PROGRAM.

First Author – This individual is the primary author of the abstract and/or research paper. The primary author may or may not be a presenting author and may or may not attend the meeting. During the Author entry step you may order the authors as to how they should be listed in the program.

Co-Author – This individual(s) is a co-author on the abstract and/or research paper. Co-authors may or may not attend the meeting. There is no minimum or maximum requirement for Co-Authors. During the Author entry step you may order the authors as to how they should be listed in the program.

Chair/Organizer – This individual organizes the symposium, roundtable/scientific discussion or poster forum. The chair/organizer is responsible for coordinating the presenters’ abstracts, selecting the theme for the submission (note all abstracts within an organized session must have the same theme) and that the presenters and discussant attend the meeting. The Chair/Organizer acts as moderator to ensure presenters keep to the 15-minute time limit and to facilitate the open discussion segment of the session. The Chair/Organizer must attend the meeting. There is a minimum and maximum of one Chair/Organizer for an organized symposium, roundtable/scientific dialogue and poster forum.

Discussant – This is an optional role in organized symposia and poster forums and a required role in roundtable discussions/scientific dialogues. Discussants are not expected to give presentations. In an organized symposium/poster forum a discussants role/goal is to identify common themes among the presentations, clarify the big-picture, and integrate the research presentations. In a roundtable/scientific discussion a discussants role is to elaborate on varying perspectives within the specified area or issue. Discussants are not limited to the number of organized symposia or roundtable/scientific dialogues in which they participate.

Note to ALL Presenting Authors, Chairs and Discussants: If your abstract(s) and session(s) are accepted you are required to register for the meeting.

The SPR Call for Papers abstract submission deadline has been extended for FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES from Wednesday, October 30, 2013 to Wednesday, November 13, 2013.All NON-federal government employees are still expected to submit their abstracts by Wednesday, October 30, 2013.